Henning was fired by the Detroit Lions in December after two seasons as offensive coordinator. He was head coach of the Chargers from 1989-91 and the Falcons from 1983-86. He also was an assistant with the Washington Redskins, New York Jets and Houston Oilers.

Details of Henning's contract with the university were not disclosed. A Lions spokesman said Henning is to be paid through the end of next season.

Henning, 51, began coaching at Florida State in 1968. Since then, he has bounced between college and the pros, moving to Virginia Tech in 1971, then to the Houston Oilers as quarterback and receivers coach in 1972, then back to Virginia Tech as offensive coordinator in 1973 and home to Florida State in 1974.

He returned to the NFL for the job of quarterback-receivers coach for the Jets in 1976 and the Miami Dolphins in 1979 before joining the Redskins in 1981, the Falcons in 1983 and the Chargers in 1989.

Henning is 38-73-1 coaching in the pros-16-32 with the Chargers and 22-41-1 with the Falcons.